Oh hello Sydney! I didn’t think I’d see you again so soon after my Winter trip here two years ago. There’s just something bleak and sad about winter and that greatly influenced my first impressions of the city. During that time, the sun rises late in the morning, it gets dark at 4 pm, and shops are closed by 6 pm! So I was back in bed very early, and since I was alone, there wasn’t really a lot of things to do! Yes, that is a tropical country girl speaking, haha! 

Since my friend insisted to see Sydney in our supposed 10-day Melbourne and Tasmania trip, we managed to do a one-day trip just for her to soak in the highlights of the city.

So if you only have 24 hours, what should you do?

First, make sure you arrive the night before. I’m a big fan of big naps following a flight, no matter how short or long it’s been. So, get yourself a good sleep before anything else. We arrived at six in the evening and that allowed us some time to meet a few friends for dinner, get our bearings hanging around Darling Harbour, and be home by midnight.

Second, be up and about early the following day. How does seven in the morning sound? Singapore is 3 hours behind Australia time (no, I’m not going to talk about daylight savings time here), so this is a rather challenging thing to do. And besides, who wakes up at seven on a holiday?? We should be! But when faced with the difficult decision of staying in bed or keeping to our schedule, we found the former more appealing. Consequently, that means having to forgo a few things on our agenda – See you next time, Bondi Beach.

Luckily, we stayed at Railway Square YHA, a backpacker’s hostel just next to Central Station. There’s a bus stop across the street, while Chinatown, Darling Harbour, and Market City are within a 15-minute walk.

For a dose of culture, get yourself to Circular Quay and head over to the Museum of Contemporary Art. On a fine day, it’s a nice little walk from the train station with great views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. You’d probably spend at most half an hour here, well, unless you have a deep appreciation for contemporary arts… The best thing about this museum is it’s free entry!

We had lunch, then checked out a few local shops at the Market City. Food options here are, I believe, considerably cheaper compared to the restaurants along Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.

Then, walk to Queen Victoria’s Building. If you don’t mind splashing a bit of cash, it’s the perfect place for some glamorous shopping! And if you’re like me, I’m sure you’d be content admiring the glamorous interiors. Haha!

We found our way back to Circular Quay, this time to explore the Royal Botanic Gardens. Just at the edge of the harbour, you’d be sure to find somewhere in this huge park your sweet spot to view the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. 

They say the spot of Mrs Macquarie’s chair offers one of the most spectacular views of these two Sydney icons. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it past the gardens because of the long walk required. We also intended to catch the sunset on the ferry trip to Manly beach.

Then, take the ferry to Manly Beach. It’s a lovely way to enjoy Sydney’s harbour and to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in a different perspective. Coming back after the sun sets, you will see the Opera House all lit up in its glory. What a sight indeed.

Drained after all the walking, we craved for a delicious and hearty dinner. We checked out this Bavarian restaurant at The Rocks – Munich Brauhaus. Their pork knuckle is by far the best one I’ve ever had! And then, the traditional vibe all around. Sweet!

Most importantly, have fun. Lots of it. If you’ve got limited time, it’s easy to be anxious about ticking off items on the list. But this could also lead to unnecessary stress, and we don’t want that. There’s no need to cram everything on one visit. What you actually want to do is give yourself a reason to come back. 🙂

We strolled around The Rocks until it was time for the guys to bring us home. Ciao, Sydney!

xoxo